The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-05-28
JOSEPH F. SMITH.
A GARD FROM COL. McOLELLAND.
From the Lexington Register. May &c ]
IEYIrdraN No Mar % 1881


LEXINGTON. Mo, May %, 1887.
l deemed 1t due TO the people OF Lafayette
county,, who were blessed to place me in the Of
fee OF county treasurer, to give my reasons for
refusing to pay two warrants, Issued in special
term, on May l6 / was guardIul, in that ) REF
letter, addressed to MIR. W. B Steele, clerk OF
only the legal aspect OF the case, and presumed
that would be an end OF the m Utter insofar as
the press was concerned. My letter was public
property when 1t passed from my hands MIR.
Sam Keller, editor of the Register, got possess
sion of it in connection with the proceedings OF
the court, and being, as We all know, an omni-
verOus news cOrmOrant, scattered 1t all over the
state like autumn leaves. can be held in no
wise responsible for This publicity. | am IN,
herently averse to controversy, and am satisfied
the court was prompted in its action by honest
motives, and hence there can be no just cause
for acrimony In the matter. My position was
taken with elaboration, and in u Judicial view
Is simply impregnab.e, no matter what the pre-
cedents may have been, and whether or not / be
judge or lawyer. For the members OF the court
personally l can have only the kindliest feeling.
but they may have an exaggerated conception
OF the elevation and functions of their Office and
their control over others, " no. with them. were
chosen to serve the people. However, excep'
tional ability may excuse exceptional assump'
ton. Now ! may come to the enlargement o
the rate Of composition, the policy or impolicI
of advancing the rates of settlement in submis
sion to the demands of stubborn and unyieldini
creditors.
The original rate of compromise was fixed b!
q vote of the people, those who pay the taxes
the election having been held on december BOIL
1875. The court, without submission of tn
question to the people, have enlargei upon IN
rate OF compromise not less than IS per cent
or to specifically illustrate, we paid a bond o
81 900 with interest, on January 1. 1856, wit
81 ,A75. Anc we pa d o bond of similar amour
and tenor on Aorll Is, under the new settlemen
p at n cost of 81, 773 IS. At the rate of composi
ton. voted by the people in 1878. and lnhexibl
! adhered to by the torm n county judges, even I
8 the extent OF Imprisonment and Irreparabl
! lpecuniary loss, as l know. fought Tor in the fee
! eral courts by our county attorneys Graves
| Young and Blackwell, The prolonged tenure {
=, tO1ice of the latter, and the VeXed litigation dun
Ing his incumbenoy making HIS services mol
3 conspicuous. and the u,beding and defiant att
tude Of Steele us clerk, and Ireland as treasur,
, secured the of nine -tenths oil our d,
Q on the basis sanctioned by d popular vote. Nov
{ without such vote, the rate ID increased aud FL
:, larged as the above figures dem Instrate. III
= purpose for which the special term OF the con
9 was called By the presiding judge, was occa
II Toned by the refusal Of the treasurer TO pay,
vacation, u claim in litigation, and ut said ter
the order Tor the payment Oh this claim. at
premium of STA oyer lace and Interest, was on
averted by the unfinching cbstinacy OF I
II county clerk. Since the adjournment OF !.
n court Il dispatch has been received Offering
N make settlement OF the above cited claim at
Q reduction Of $500. The charge that the treusur
Y will haYe temporarily TO carry for the thr
q heavily indebted townships some IS 600 OF q
= nciency In interest, IL a matter oil concern on
II to his bondsmen anu himself.
NJ. v. l.. MCCLELLASD